Newsletter

Newsletters are emailed out to parents and carers every week on a Friday. If you do not already receive you can read it here or have it emailed by contacting the office on: office@hollypark.barnetmail.net

To see the full colour version of this week’s newsletter including photographs please scroll further down this page. You will also find there a full list of previous newsletters.

This plain version of the newsletter will translate into different community languages using the Google translate button at the bottom of this page.

This week’s newsletter:

Ofsted Report

I hope that you all received the final copy of our recent Ofsted Report and the covering letter that went with it. We were delighted to be able to share with you that Ofsted Judged Holly Park to be a ‘Good’ school which is what we as a school judge ourselves to be. We felt that the team gave a very honest and fair report of the school and we feel that the report reads very well and reflects our school. The team were very clear in telling us that the school should be very proud of this achievement and they congratulated us on this. They explained that the educational goal posts have moved so much since our last inspection in 2011 and that the standards schools are now expected to achieve are so challenging, that the school has done very well to maintain its standards and has continued to keep the school at the same standard and improving since 2011. The criteria for ‘Outstanding’ is now far more rigorous and demanding than in 2011 and is far less attainable. We have not been complacent as a school and have continued to look for ways to improve, however Ofsted has moved on too. For the past four years in our own self-evaluation of the school, we have judged Holly Park to be a ‘Good’ school so we are delighted that the inspectors agreed with us. There are so many pleasing and very lovely comments in the report. We were particularly pleased that the inspectors felt that the school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. What was even more pleasing to us is that there were only two main points for improvement and that both of these areas are part of our school improvement plan and are therefore issues already known to the school. The inspectors were very praising of the fact that the school leaders knew the school very well and had an accurate picture of the strengths and areas for development of the school. We will of course continue to work hard to be the best we can be. I believe that since the last inspection Holly Park has grown and improved and is better than it was in 2011 but unfortunately the inspection world around us has changed too. I hope that you will join us in being very pleased with the outcome and that you will continue to be proud and support the school and work with us to make Holly Park the best it can be. The report is also available on the school website. Thank you for all the lovely comments and positive feedback on the report that we have had from parents who have really enjoyed reading the report.

Christmas Jumper Day & Winter Fair

Christmas Jumper Day was a huge success. Lots of very festive jumpers were worn by children and staff. Thank you to everyone who donated a gift for the tombola stall. We look forward to seeing you all at the fair on Saturday between 1pm and 5pm. Do come along and take part in all the fun!

Parent Information Forms

These went out this week. Please return the information forms as soon as possible and definitely before the end of term. Thank you.

Christmas Post

The Christmas post box is out and ready (just inside the foyer) for children to put their Christmas cards in. Please ensure that all cards have names and classes on the envelope. The last day for posting will be Wednesday 19th December.

Primary Maths Challenge

A few weeks ago, over 30 of our Year 6 pupils took part in the National Primary Maths Challenge. The challenge was indeed challenging but the children showed great resilience in tackling it and giving it a go. Well done to everyone who took part, they all did very well. Bronze, silver and gold certificates were awarded to the highest scoring Holly Park children. Harry W will be going forward to the final round in February.

Diary Dates

Saturday 15th December PTA Winter Wonderland

Monday 17th December Y3 Nativity at 2.30pm

Tuesday 18th December Y3 Nativity at 6pm

Tuesday 18th December Enabling Enterprise Y3 & 4

Tuesday 18th December Upper KS2 parties

Wednesday 19th December Nursery & Lower KS2 parties

Wednesday 19th December Enabling Enterprise Y1,2,5 & 6

Wednesday 20th December KS1 & Reception parties

Friday 21st December Term ends at 1.30pm

Online Safety Information

Mr Carini and Mr Turner are our Key leaders for ICT in school. They would like to update parents on a regular basis through the newsletter about how to support your children with online safety. Our online safety governor is Fiona Quinton. The media are often sharing information about technology that can scare parents. We are going to attempt to take a calmer approach and help to educate everyone (including ourselves) about how to stay safe online. We would like to begin by sharing this website with parents: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/ It has lots of good links and articles that might help families.

Music News

Spring Term Instrumental Tuition and Ensembles: No violin lessons on Monday 7th January. Otherwise, all sessions begin in the first week of next term – this includes Wind Band, String Ensemble and Rock Band.

YEAR 1 and YEAR 3 PUPILS. A letter will be going out next term offering Infant Choir sessions to Year 1 pupils (Thursdays 3:30-4:15) and Barnabas Choir sessions (Tuesdays 3:30-4:30) to Year 3 pupils whose singing voices are ready for this choir. We have two more choirs which meet during school assembly times – all pupils are members of one or other of these choirs: ‘HOT VOICES’ (Years 1&2), ‘COOL KIDS’ (Years 3-6).

Winston’s Wish – Wish Upon A Star

Thank you to everyone who brought in their decorated star and the £1 to go to this very worthwhile charity. Thank you to Mrs Puzey and a team of children who decorated one of our trees in the junior building with all of the stars – it looks very beautiful.

New Parent Governor

I would like to introduce you to our new parent governor – Nicky Eimer. Nicky has two children in the school. Her daughter Stella is in Year 3 and Ollie is in Reception. Nicky is a pianist by profession, and shares her time between performing in concerts and teaching. Over the years she has taught at several schools, both state and private. Nicky enjoys problem-solving and has a passion for education.

Holly Park Online Community Noticeboard

We now have a Community Noticeboard on our school website under the ‘Contact’ heading. This is for parents and friends of the school to advertise their businesses/events. For example if you make birthday cakes, do nails, are a decorator etc. The following rules will apply: Items will be listed alphabetically to avoid any favouritism eg C for cake making, P for Piano lessons. There is a disclaimer at the top of the page saying that inclusion on the page does not mean the service is endorsed by the school in any way. The cost to advertise will be £10 per term paid to Mrs Hassan. We no longer distribute leaflets for companies advertising holiday clubs, tennis lessons etc as this is not very eco friendly. However the company can email the school office a leaflet and for £10 can advertise on this page.